The theme of last week for me was going one day at a time and doing the best I could... I felt a union between my physical, emotional, mental, and energetic body... it was really kind of beautiful.

Before we get to this week's forecast, I have one quick announcement:

If you missed last week's FORECASTING FORUM, I recommend you watch this 15-min. excerpt of my webinar. We talked about November's Neptune and Chiron Station phases in relationship to our own Birth charts... enjoy!

This week's headline items: on Tuesday, Mercury enters its "Shadow phase" and the Balsamic Moon phase begins. The Neptune station intensifies on Thursday and the New Moon in Scorpio becomes exact on Saturday morning.

There will also be three Moon VoC phases this week: Monday late morning (for a little over 7.5 hours), Wednesday evening (for almost 7.5 hours), and Saturday morning (for almost 8 hours).

Monday (November 13th): the Moon remains in detail-oriented, practical Virgo until 6:26pm EST. Our focus still moves toward the practical and wholesome. We are generous with our time/services and we love to help others. We also have a fondness for science and anything that makes sense in our world -- things and knowledge we can apply and use.

Health might come also into focus at this time. We notice the parts that make up the whole; this is a great time to see if our daily routines (eating, work, self-care, etc.) align with our long-term goals.

Monday very early morning, a Venus/Jupiter alignment in 7 degrees of Scorpio becomes exact at 3:16am EST. We started to feel this aspect from last Friday (Nov. 10th) on; it will remain strong until this Wednesday. This connection brings a certain optimism to social and personal relationships, together with tremendous emotional depth and a desire to go beyond the surface.

Humor plays a big role in our interactions with others, as do tolerance, open-mindedness and enthusiasm.

Financially speaking, things are "trending up" -- we may be able to plump up our pocketbooks. Best investment areas: tax deeds, insurances, anything to with death or sexuality, anything that requires deep healing, or investigation and research.

If you want to know how Jupiter's journey, through intense, all-or-nothing Scorpio impacts you personally, feel free to purchase my webinar on the subject -- we talked about what to expect for the next 12 months and how it applies to our own birth charts. To purchase the video presentation of this webinar, click here To watch a 30-minute except from our most recent Forum, click here

Do you have your Ascendant, Career Point (or personal planets) in 4-10 degrees ofScorpio, Taurus, Leo or Aquarius? If so, you will feel this alignment quite strongly. This is also true for those of us who have our Ascendant or Sun-sign in Taurus, Libra or Sagittarius (Venus is the ruler of Taurus and Libra, so those folks will always be affected more strongly by Venus's movements and aspects)

Monday at 10:45am EST, we enter a Moon void of course (VoC). that lasts for a little over 7.5 hours, until 6:26pm EST. Do your best to use this intuitive time to make some adjustments in your life and find creative solutions to seemingly unsolvable situations.

Make space both for looking at your beliefs, to see which ones are sound, and for organizing your daily routines. As always with a Moon VoC, as best as you can, don't start anything brand-new, stick to routine things, or simply go with the flow. You may also want to plan Monday late morning until the evening ahead of time ;-)

Monday late afternoon, a challenging Mercury/Neptune aspect becomes exact at 5:48pm EST. We started to feel this aspect from Saturday (Nov. 11th) on; it will remain strong until Wednesday evening. This aspect asks us to stretch ourselves and grow.

We may experience a lack of clarity and objectivity. We might make embarrassing errors, neglect important details, or carry some delusions now. Our lack of clarity may make it difficult for others to understand us.

We are more imaginative now, and easily swayed by the opinions of others. We can be highly creative and inspired under this influence, but also overly sensitive, touchy, or impractical. What might a creative approach to life be?

It can be hard to follow routines. Concentrating on monotonous tasks and work (or study that involves attention to detail or rote learning) may also be challenging at this time. As best as you can, be compassionate with yourself and others during these 5 days.

Do you have your Ascendant, Career Point (or personal planets) in 8-15 degrees of Sagittarius, Pisces, Gemini and Virgo? If so, you are more affected by this aspect. This is also true for those of us who have our Ascendant or Sun-sign in Gemini, Virgo or Pisces (Mercury is the ruler of Gemini and Virgo; Neptune rules Pisces).

Monday at 6:26pm EST, the Moon moves into harmony-loving, balance-seeking Libra, whereit will journey until Thursday very early morning. The energy of the Libra Moon helps us be naturally courteous and diplomatic; we are more polite at this time, as we seek the approval of others.

We very much want to maintain equal, fair relationships at this time, and are therefore open to making compromises and negotiating. These next two days are a great time for mediation -- but our need for peace and accompanying aversion to direct conflict could pull us to "yes" more easily than we might like.

We may also be able see both sides of the equation so well that we can't make decisions. As best as you can, find an inner balance with this and communicate what needs to be said with grace and charm -- even if it's "No" ;-) One last quick note: this is also a great time for anything to do with visual arts.

Tuesday early afternoon, the Balsamic Moon phase begins when the Moon reaches 10 degrees of Libra. This lasts until Saturday morning, when the New Moon in Scorpio becomes exact (more on that later...however, feel free to watch my video on the subject)

We are being asked to slow down and get quiet, so we can listen to our inner sensing/intuition. For some of us, this might be a stretch. As best as you can: stay grounded, take a deep breath and exhale any tensions. Rather than starting something brand-new, put all that energy into completing existing projects or processes.

This is also a great time for letting go of whatever no longer serves us. What if you could hear the voice of your inner wisdom? What might it be saying?

Tuesday evening, Mercury enters a 3-week shadow phase, as it reaches 13 degrees of Sagittarius. This precedes the retrograde phase, which will begin on Dec. 3rd in 29 degrees of Sagittarius (more on that in 3 weeks). Mercury's shadow phases usually last 2-3 weeks before and after the Retrograde phase. So what is the "shadow phase"? Click here to read my article on the subject

There are two "shadow" phases -- during these, the planet travels over a part of the sky it will later "revisit". The first "shadow" comes before the planet moves backward; the second comes when the planet starts to catch back up (after going direct).

It's like you went hiking and left something behind at camp. If you went back to get it, you'd have some catching up to do, and would see the same scenery twice or more.

If you want to buy, sell or ship big-ticket items -- especially connected to transportation (cars, airline tickets, etc.) or communication devices (phone, computer, iPad, etc.) -- be aware of the shadow periods as well as the retrograde phases. If possible, get these things done before Mercury enters it's shadow or wait until after the shadow phases are over -- that would be Jan. 10th, 2018 in this case ;-)

Of course, if there is something that must get done during these phases, don't put your whole life on hold, just because Mercury is retrograde or in it's shadow. Sometimes things line up exactly at the right time; as best as you can, trust that it's all "perfect" ;-)

Wednesday late afternoon: we are invited to make some internal adjustments. We may want to connect with others, but may also need to tune in and allow for gentleness and understanding -- some healing might be required. What do you hear when you get really quiet?

Wednesday evening: we become more aware that we need to find a balance between the reinvention of our personal goals and passions, versus our need to connect and collaborate with others. What if I could have connection and freedom?

Wednesday at 7:50pm EST, we enter a Moon void of course (VoC). that lasts for almost 7.5 hours, until 3:19am EST (Thursday very early morning).Use this intuitive time as an opportunity to collaborate with others and bring a new level of focus and authenticity to your exploration of life.

As always with a Moon VoC, as best as you can, don't start anything brand-new, stick to routine things, or simply go with the flow. You may also want to plan Wednesday evening and night ahead of time ;-)

Thursday (Nov. 16th) at 3:19am EST, the Moon moves into passionate, all-or-nothing Scorpio, where it will journey until Saturday afternoon. We feel things deeply and have "X-Ray Vision" and "Bullshit-Smelling Abilities" ;-)

Emotional authenticity is extremely important to us at this time; anything less than 100% emotional honesty could be perceived as flat-out dishonest. Once we feel safe trusting someone, we want to merge with them, preferably forever... as long as our trust is never betrayed.

The Moon in Scorpio urges us to uncover our own power. This occurs by a process of subtraction -- it urges us to let go of whatever disempowers us. It's therefore an excellent time to look at "old" fears, limiting habits or emotional attachments, especially those stemming from past traumas.

Moon in Scorpio tends to run right over ambiguity -- it's "in or out", "with us or against us", "love me or leave me". It can therefore be stormy -- a cold winter storm, or a torrid tropical storm of passion, depending on how we "work" the energies :-)

Manipulation and paranoia are the lower vibrations of this aspect, so as best you can, be straightforward -- act in good faith and assume it in others. Best of all, be truly present to the fluctuations of your feelings -- no matter if they're "polite" or "timely". Feelings aren't facts, but they are information -- and heeding them will help you embrace all of who you are.

Know thyself -- and love thyself -- you shall be set free. Remember: Love connects us to the Power within; Fear causes "Force" to show up -- and that's ultimately what disempowers us and others.

Thursday late morning, a harmonious Venus/Neptune aspect becomes exact at 10:21am EST. We started to feel this aspect from Monday night on; it will remain strong until Saturday evening. This supports us with the flow of feelings, especially in connection to our relationships and whatever we most value. Bringing compassion to our deepest feelings (including fears) and how we relate to others is going to feel easier at this time.

Our intuition and instincts are strongly supported here too. It becomes easier to trust others and open up to them; we give ourselves permission to receive love and emotional support. As best as you can, let all feelings flow.

Do you have your Ascendant, Career Point (or personal planets) in 8-15 degrees of Scorpio, Pisces or Cancer? If so, you will be most blessed by this aspect. This is also true for those of us who have our Ascendant or Sun-sign in Taurus, Libra or Pisces (Venus is the ruler of Taurus and Libra; Neptune rules Pisces).

Thursday late morning, a harmonious Sun/Chiron aspect becomes exact at 10:48am EST. We started to feel this aspect from Monday on; it will remain strong until Sunday. This creates a supportive environment for healing our insecurities.

We can bring greater awareness to our feelings of shame and any self-deprecating thoughts or behaviors. Paradoxically, we have the chance to shine, largely because we project self-respect and modesty. This is also a great time to recognize that our so-called flaws and insecurities have become some of our best assets and strengths. Where might this be true for you?

Something else that supports healing our insecurity is a sense of pursuing a worthy goal -- this could be something as simple as a desire to learn and grow -- and our goal-orientation helps us overcome any problems that arise while we're on our "mission".

Do you have your Ascendant, Career point (or one or more personal planets) in 21-28 degrees of Scorpio, Pisces or Cancer? If so, you will be most blessed by this aspect.This is also true for those of us who have our Ascendant or Sun-sign in Leo (as the Sun rules Leo)

Also on Thursday, Neptune's station intensifies -- and will appear to move more slowly through the sky until Nov. 28th. It is getting ready to come to a halt and start it's 5-month retrograde phase on Nov. 22nd.

A planet's energies are more exalted during it's "station period"; this has even more weight for an outer planet, as they move more slowly and their stations last much longer. This Neptune station is particularly strong, since it occurs in Pisces, its own sign.

Neptune represents things like universal love, our inner divinity, spirituality, inspiration, compassion, faith -- plus creative and imaginative realms such as music or film -- while the shadow side is confusion, illusion and escapism of all kinds. We start to be aware of all those energies more fully in our lives.

This awareness helps us to connect more fully to those energies as they exist within us. We can then see where we need to either embrace them more fully, or connect to them in a healthy way, that doesn't involve getting lost in the murky lower vibrations of their expression.

If you want to know how the Neptune Station impacts you personally, feel free to purchase our most recent Forecasting Forum -- we applied what's coming up to our own birth charts; to purchase the video presentation of this webinar, click here To watch a 15-minute except from our most recent Forum, click here

Some of us will feel the effects of this station more than others: those of us with a Pisces Sun- or Rising-Sign (Ascendant) -- and those of us with personal planets and points in 8-15 degrees of Pisces, Virgo, Gemini or Sagittarius.

Friday (Nov. 17th): The Moon remains in passionate, all-or-nothing Scorpio all day (see Thursday very early morning for details).

Friday morning, a somewhat challenging Sun/Uranus aspect becomes exact at 9:04am EST. We started to feel this aspect from Thursday on; it will remain strong until Saturday. This aspect operates more on an internal level. We feel uneasy about something, almost awkward -- and we need to make a choice… so we need to develop inner awareness.

An unexpected turn of events could leave us uneasy or unsettled. How flexible could you be, if you really tried? What needs to be shifted internally, so you can stay open and aligned with your unique, divine goals?

Do you have your Ascendent, Career Point (or any personal planets) in 24-27 degrees of Scorpio or Aries? If so, you may be more affected by this aspect. This is also true for those of us who have our Ascendant or Sun-sign in Aquarius or Leo (the Sun rules Leo; Uranus rules Aquarius)

Friday morning, an opportune Mercury/Mars aspect becomes exact at 9:24am EST. We started to feel this aspect from Wednesday night on; it will remain strong until Sunday morning. This provides an opportunity to connect thought to action. Body and mind can align, if we choose. Words and deeds come quickly; we can be not only quick, but brave. As with any opportunity, we have to "take" this one: it will not happen by itself.

What actions are calling to you? How might those actions be connected to a belief you have about life? About relationships? About the balance of your inner masculine and feminine? What might you see if you looked at the bigger picture?

Do you have your Ascendent, Career Point (or any personal planets) in 14-19 degrees of Sagittarius, Libra, Aquarius or Leo? If so, you may be more aware of this opportunity.This is also true for those of us who have our Ascendant or Sun-sign in Gemini, Virgo or Aries (Mercury is the ruler of Gemini and Virgo; Mars rules Aries)

Friday is also the last day before the New Moon becomes exact...This is a great day to let go of what no longer serves us. As best as you can, avoid jumping the gun: Rather than launching into brand-new endeavors or connections, wait until a couple of days has passed after the New Moon.

Some of us might feel a little anxious or nervous today: As best as you can, get quiet and go within… Listen to the silence between the sounds… Find peace in the connection with your innermost and truest Self.

Saturday (Nov. 18th): the Moon remains in passionate, all-or-nothing Scorpio until 1:59pm EST (see Thursday very early morning for details).

Scorpio is the second water sign of the zodiac, so it deals with not only the depths of our own psyche, but also the ecstasy and traumas of relationships. Venus and Jupiter are joined together in Scorpio at the time of this New Moon; with all these planets in Scorpio, we are powerfully reminded to face our fears, embrace our "Shadow", and thereby reclaim our inner power.

The "Shadow" is all the suppressed, denied or undeveloped qualities of self; when we have yet to fully integrate these disowned aspects, we feel disempowered, and are left vulnerable to manipulation or domination. Furthermore, what we reject in ourselves, we project onto others. That which we disown, owns us; whatever we resist, persists.

Here are some questions to help you reclaim some of those projections: Who really bothers you "out there" in the world? What specifically bothers you about them? How do those characteristics relate to you? Are they doing things you aren't "allowed" to do, even to a tiny, maybe even healthy extent?

What do you joke about, then feel bad about? Noticing our own sense of humor is important, because the shadow also makes itself visible through humor, especially awkward humor...

The spiritual task of Scorpio is to learn to let go of whatever is dead or toxic in our lives. Often, this is connected to past traumas -- once again, fears based either on "what was", or on a possible future in which we would not be ok. All this can be scary and stir up wanting control. The survival brain thinks that control gives us power, certainty, stability... but it's all an illusion based in fear.

Remember: "Fear" is resistance to life, whereas "Love" is acceptance of life, in all its forms. Ask yourself: Is my thinking and feeling based on what's actually here now, or is it connected to my history or possible future scenarios? What is true for you right here, right now? Really look...

The key is to realize that "letting go" is not about loss, but about transformation and (ultimately) about feeling empowered, since every ending is also a new beginning.

Trust thus plays a central role in intimate relationship and authentic connection.

Trust is something that develops over time -- and it can take a little longer for those of us who experienced trauma in the past -- this applies to developing trust in ourselves, as much as with others.

Chiron in Pisces trines the New Moon, which makes it easier for us to experience some healing around our inner wounded child and traumas. We are invited to think of life in terms of cycles of development and realize that we are much more than our mind or body.

Of course, it’s easier sometimes to let go when we know that something else is waiting to come in — perhaps even to see that, in essence, there is no death, only the infinite endings and beginnings.

Ask yourself: What began with an ending? Did I perhaps always already know what the new beginning would look like? What might open up if I trusted to the evolutionary cycles of life... just for now?

Take a look at my Chiron workshop for some healing and understanding about your own inner wounded child -- you can click here to purchase -- or watch a 15-minute except from our most recent Forum about the Neptune and Chiron Station phases: click here

Uranus in Aries quincunxes the New Moon: An unexpected turn of events could leave us uneasy or unsettled. One of my favorite sayings comes to mind: "Correct and continue"...

At any rate, we might detect nervous or anxious energies moving through ourselves for the next serval weeks, so stay as grounded as possible and keep breathing! Remember: the future we are creating can only be fulfilling to the extent we can embrace the present.

Ask yourself: What internal shift would keep me open and aligned with my unique, divine Self -- and with my vision? What if uncertainty was the only certainty? How comfortable could I get with my inner discomfort if that were true?

What if all is well, all the the time, even when I'm experiencing discomfort and uncertainty? Even when it lasts longer than I expected? If I let myself be really flexible, how flexible could I be? What might taking a deep breath do for me right now?

Neptune in Pisces is currently exalted in the sky -- due to its station phase -- and connected beautifully to Venus and Jupiter in Scorpio. This gives us an opportunity to tap more fully into our intuitive "body", release old patterns, beliefs and behaviors with self-compassion, and shift our attention from the head to the heart. Ask yourself: What if I let compassion and courage think and speak on my behalf?

I found this quote that resonates with the energy of Jupiter in Scorpio: “When you get to the end of the light, you know it is time to step into the darkness of the unknown. Faith is knowing that one of two things shall happen: either you will be given something solid to stand on, or you will be taught how to fly.” -- Edward Teller

I recommend you watch my "Jupiter in Scorpio" webinar for more insight -- catch a 30-minute except here or purchase the entire webinar here.

Mars was historically considered to be the astrological ruler of Scorpio, but upon its discovery in the 1930's, Pluto took that title and is thus known as the "modern" ruler of Scorpio.

Pluto is now journeying through Capricorn, where it squares Mars in Libra. This combo engages our deepest passions -- and survival instincts.Our ambition and drive to succeed are incredibly strong now, we feel prepared to go to any lengths, in order to achieve our goals. We also have the required energy. This is a real need to achieve, a compulsion even; we often find it difficult to stop.

Perhaps surprisingly, empowering others is key! Notice when you try to force your will on others -- or indeed, any time you push too hard -- because the more you push, the more likely it becomes that life will push back! The fact is, we all need breaks: What if adding a little more nurturing to my day might actually help me achieve more? What if, just as an experiment, I took a 10-min pause?

As mentioned above, Mars is the traditional ruler of Scorpio and is moving through Libra; it will also make a sextile to Mercury in Sagittarius and the North Node in Leo. These aspects provide an opportunity to connect thought to action -- and action to joy.

Ask yourself: What actions call to me today? How might those actions be connected to a belief I have about life, relationships, the balance of my inner masculine and feminine, or the expression of joy? What if my thoughts and words were really instruments of revelation and empowerment? How would I speak then?

To sum it all up: Flexibility and open-mindedness will definitely help for the next 28 days. Embracing our humanity and practicing self-compassion -- especially in regards to our frustrations and desires for success -- is an opportunity for healing. As best as you can, could you simply allow all resistance to just simply "be" for right now? And, also just for right now, could you simply let go of wanting to resist what is? Could you set all inner tension free, as best you can?

This New Moon in Scorpio invites us to contemplate the cycles of life, the blessings of facing our fears, and the beauty of letting go. Let yourself integrate all of who you are... even those parts that are connected to past trauma and pain. As best as you can, allow those parts to feel safe and loved -- there is nothing to defend or protect -- you are powerful in your own right. Be courageous and kind to yourself!

Also, again this month, in connection with the New Moon, my dear friend Krista Mitchell is back! She is an amazing Spiritual Author, Crystal Teacher, and Mystic, has recorded a Guided Meditation that is custom-tailored to this New Moon's energies. Her Meditations are designed to give you some extra support and guidance for the beginning of each Lunar cycle!

If this resonates, go to Krista's website: www.krista-mitchell.com scroll down to the bottom of her home page, and purchase your mediation there ;-) I have done many guided mediations with Krista, and in my humble opinion, she is TheBest!

Do you have your Ascendant (or any personal planets) in 24-28 degrees of Scorpio, Taurus, Leo or Aquarius? If so, you may feel the effects of this New Moon more strongly. This is also true for those of us who have our Ascendant or Sun-sign in Leo or Cancer (the Sun rules Leo; the Moon rules Cancer).

The New Moon is also the best time to set some powerful intentions for this month's Moon cycle. Intentions are best done soon after the New Moon becomes exact -- and definitely not during a Moon void of course phase. So this month, the best time to set intentions would be any time between 1:59pm Saturday afternoon (Nov. 18th) and 6:42am Monday morning (Nov. 20th) -- New York Time/US Eastern Time

If you live in a timezone other than EST (US East Coast-time), feel free to join my Facebook Fanpageor follow me on twitter. I will be posting reminders on Saturday afternoon and evening, Sunday throughout the day and Monday before 6:42am EST, to let you know when it is time to set your intentions ;-)

Part of the reason for this is that on Saturday at 6:42am EST, at the exact same time as the New Moon becomes exact, we enter a Moon void of course (VoC). that lasts for almost 8 hours until 1:59pm EST. Use this intuitive time to simply be still. Connect to your body's wisdom, pamper yourself and others; do your best to articulate for yourself what you need in the moment.

Surprisingly, this will actually bring clarity to what we need from ourselves and others. Finally, as always during VoC, take it easy -- go with the flow. You may also want to plan Saturday morning until early afternoon ahead of time ;-)

Saturday at 1:59pm EST, the Moon moves into optimistic, adventurous, truth-seeking Sagittarius, where it will journey until Tuesday very early morning (Nov. 21st).We're strongly motivated to explore and learn. We're not likely to be big fans of routine -- diversity and new adventures work best at this time -- we're also physically restless and need to burn that off with activity and physical exercise.

We tend to feel more open, optimistic and inspired -- but we also have a high degree of independence, which means we'd rather inspire others to do things our way, than take orders. Inspiring others could come easier than normal, as we can see the bigger picture, leaving us confident that others will agree with us, once they see what we see.

As best as you can, speak your truth without assuming that everyone is on the same page as you. Improvisation works well for us at this time, as we are spontaneous and love living on the edge -- just watch out you aren't overdoing or overstating things.

Sunday morning, a challenging Mars/Pluto aspect becomes exact at 7:15am EST. We started to feel this aspect from Tuesday (Nov. 14th) on; it will remain strong until next week Thursday evening (Nov. 23rd). Our ambition and drive to succeed are incredibly strong now; we feel prepared to go to any lengths, in order to achieve our goals -- and we have the required energy. It's a real need to achieve, a compulsion even -- we often find it difficult to stop.

This aspect could also lead to power struggles, perhaps with an authority figure, perhaps within ourselves. Problem is, "push" could come to "shove" -- and once in a shoving match, with Mars and Pluto involved, we may not know when enough is enough.

Do your best to tap into the power of the love within. Find creative ways to empower yourself and others. Flexibility is key -- and walking away for 10 minutes might just save you from doing something you later regret -- and also perhaps from burning-out ;-)

Do you have your Ascendant, Career Point (or personal planets) in 14-21 degrees of Libra, Capricorn, Aries or Cancer? If so, you will be more affected by this aspect.This is also true for those of us who have our Ascendant or Sun-sign in Aries or Scorpio (Mars is the ruler of Aries; Pluto rules Scorpio)

A head's up for next Monday (Nov. 20th): the Moon remains in optimistic, adventurous, truth-seeking Sagittariusall day (see Saturday afternoon for details). At 7:26pm EST, we enter a Moon void of course (VoC). that lasts for a little over 6.5 hours, until 2:14am EST (Tuesday very early morning, Nov. 21st). More about all the details in next week’s forecast ;-)

One Last Announcement:

Join me for next month's FORECASTING FORUM, on Wednesday, Dec. 6th, 2017 at 1pmPST/ 4pm EST/9pm GMT (London-time). Please note that we will be talking about Saturn changing signs from Sagittarius to Capricorn (it's own sign) -- where it will journey until Dec. 2020!

If you want to know how Saturn journey in Capricorn is going to impact you personally, join me live or sign up for the mp4-video presentation. Other than booking a reading with me, this is the highest level of support you can get -- and it's only $24 for the 90-minute webinar. To register now, click here

Here is a testimonial from one of our participants right after joining our most recent Forum:

"The last Forecasting Forum was brilliant - you’re so spot on with your intuitive ability to interpret what’s going on astrologically."-- Arvi